Resiliency! All Screenwriters Need it, Here's How to Get it

Resiliency! All Screenwriters Need it, Here’s How to Get it

Hi All,

I’m sure I don’t need to tell you, being a screenwriter isn’t easy. There are constant challenges, endless notes and rewrites and of course, plenty of rejection to go around.

If you want to avoid going crazy, you have to learn to be resilient.

Now that Hollywood is going through a ‘COVID revamp’, and we’re experiencing a world that feels like it’s in constant flux, I think almost all of us could benefit from a bit of a ‘resiliency upgrade’.

Here are 5 tips to increase your ability to ‘bounce back’ and go with the flow in challenging times:

1. Embrace Uncertainty 

Nothing in life is certain - you might be fired from a writer’s room, your long running show could get cancelled, your film gets passed on, or your rep might drop you. But on the flip side that also means you never know when you’re going to land the big agent, sell your screenplay, or finally see your pilot produced. We are never free from unexpected change and challenges, but we are always free to decide how we look at uncertainty and respond to it. You might be out of work today, but maybe that gives you time to write your next great screenplay; you might have lost your writers room gig, but maybe you didn’t really like that job anyway and now you’re free to look for a better fit. I’m not saying don’t feel your feelings when things don’t go your way; but I am saying, most people who thrive in uncertain times, decide to accept their circumstances, look for the lessons within it, and spend their energy deciding what to do next. It takes practice, but you can do this!

2. Create Community

Writing is often a solitary endeavor. But just because you can create alone, doesn’t mean you don’t need community. Community can help you battle insecurities and rejection, help you grow and learn, and share a much needed laugh now and then. Develop your community with people who make you feel good and champion your success: Fellow writers, family, friends, a mentor; even just a handful of supportive people can make a huge difference. Then when you have your support network - USE THEM! Even though most of us are still practicing social distancing right now: call them, text them, or Zoom them. Reach out for help with a script, when you need a word of encouragement, or even just to vent! Creating community and leaning on them when you need to is a strength, not a weakness.

3. Get out of the “Compare & Despair” Game

There is no secret formula to success. There is no ‘one way’ to write a great screenplay, and the steps up the career ladder are different for everyone. But when we’re in challenging times (and most of us are spending more time on social media) it’s easy to fall into the comparison game. Maybe you saw a post on Instagram about a friend who wrote 3 screenplays during quarantine and you’ve barely written a word, or a friend-of-a-friend tweeted about their ‘new amazing rep’ and you’ve been trying to get representation for years. Find ways to remind yourself that your situation, your career, and your life is unlike anyone else’s and screenwriters have found success in thousands of different ways. The truth is, if you compare yourself to others you’ll eventually end up feeling bad. It’s just a matter of time. So, if you’ve already fallen into the comparison trap, find ways to realign with your worth: Get off Instagram and Facebook, take a break from your peers that make you feel inferior, maybe make a mental list of all your past successes, and breathe. You increase your resilience by accepting who you are, where you’re at, and striving for your specific definition of success. You’re doing great - just keep going.

4. Step Away from the Computer

Nothing promotes resiliency like feeling great about yourself outside of writing. Find moments to step away from your computer each day and do something that helps you feel your best: exercise, eat good food, meditate if that’s your thing (it’s my thing and it makes a big difference), bake cookies, find a new hobby. The writing will always be there. Plus, taking the time to take care of your mind, body and soul outside of writing can actually enhance your creativity and focus.

5. Laughter Can Be the Best Medicine.

Charlie Chaplin once said, “Life is a tragedy when seen in close up, but a comedy in the long shot.” Sometimes the best way to find a bit of resilience is to take a step back from a disappointment that seems too big to bear and see if you can find any humor in it. This strategy might be the last thing you feel like doing when you’re in the middle of a tough time, but after the moment’s past, try to look at that seemingly bad situation from a fresh ‘funny’ perspective. Sometimes your biggest failure can turn into your funniest script (or at least give you a much needed laugh so you can move onwards and upwards).

What are your best practices for ‘bouncing back’? Let me know @CaroleKirsh!